System of draining containers



3 Sheets-Sheet l ATTORNEY to. o z A 'Jan. 10, 1950 H. P. SMITH SYSTEM OF DRAINING CONTAINERS Filed Nov.

Jan. 10, 1950 I5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Nov. 10, 1945 INVENTOR I ATTORN EY Jan. 10, 1950 H. P. SMITH 2,493,837

SYSTEM OF DRAINING CONTAINERS Filed Nov. 10, 1945 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTOR.

BY M

ATTORNEY Patented Jan. 10, 1950 SYSTEM OF DRAINING CONTAINERS Herbert P. Smith, Eastport, Maine, assignor to Riviera Packing Company, Eastport, Maine, a partnership composed of Victor N. Cory and Arnold Vogl Application November 10, 1945, Serial No. 627,919 7 Claims. (01. 226-22) This invention relates to can drainers, more particularly to conveyor apparatus for inverting packed but open containers to drain oif surplus fluids, such as the natural juices produced during a cooking process prior to filling the containers with oils or sauces, and before the sealing thereof.

In certain known methods of can draining wherein the container is inverted, the turning operation is performed by a quick revolution of individual units. The very nature of this method requires individual operation, or at least the feeding of a very limited number of units to the inverter. In one of the most eflicient of such devices the maximum number of units inverted has been found to be 90 per minute. It is within the contemplation of my invention to overcome this shortcoming in drainers of the said general category by increasing the capacity considerably above that heretofore obtained. I have found that in an apparatus made according to this invention the capacity was 150 units per minute.

Another shortcoming of draining methods heretofore used, especially of the quick inverting type above referred to, is that the operative action is not always positively effective, inasmuch-'- as the short time factor and the presence of obstructing elements of the contents within the container prevent a sufiicient draining. It is also an important object of this invention to eliminate this hit-and-miss aspect of conventional drainers, by permitting an extension of the active draining period, and by so conveying the containers that there will be a gradual though positive draining action. And in this aspect of my invention, it is a further object to enable such draining action to be accomplished in an apparatus of comparatively large capacities.

It is also an object of this invention to provide simple and self-adjusting means for firmly holding the conveyed units in proper position" during the complete operative cycle, whereby they are in continuous control and safe against dislodgment at all times.

And in the last-mentioned aspect of this invention, it is also an object to provide means against the slippage of the units being conveyed, whereby the apparatus may be safely used for glass containers as well as cans.

Other objects, features and advantages will appear from the drawings and the description hereinafter given.

Referring to the drawings Figure 1 is a perspective view of a portion of an apparatus embodying my invention.

Figure 2 is a fragmentary perspective showing a can between two coacting belt portions yieldably supported by the structure of my invention.

Figure 3 is a diagrammatic view of the path of the belts of the apparatus of Figures 1 and 2.

Figure 4 is a fragmentary plan view of a portion of the two coacting belts shown twisted through degrees and operatively supporting therebetween cans for draining.

Figure 5 is a side elevation of the yieldable belt-supporting means shown in Figure 2.

Figure 6 is an end view of Figure 5.

Figure 7 is a top view of Figure 5.

Figure 8 is a front view of the guide-strip supporting device, and

Figure 9 is a side view of Figure 8.

In the particular embodiment of the invention illustrated, there are two continuous open-mesh chain belts in and II both driven at the same speed from one end by suitable driving mechanisms not shown. The operative portions l3 and M of the belts travel in the same direction, are parallel to each other, and have their operative or container-engaging surfaces l5 and [6, respectively, in facing relation. The said operative parallel portions of the belts travel between and in engagement with spaced, yieldably supported rollers l1 and I8 (to be more specifically hereinafter described), their plane of travel varying from a horizontal position at the beginning of the cycle or operative path, through a 180 turn at the center of the path, and then back again through a 180 turn to the original horizontal position. The arrangement is such that containers fed at the loading end are yieldably held between the belts in an upright position, with the container opening at the top, and then gradually inverted while the belts are travelling in a generally horizontal direction, until the surplus fluids are discharged in the central region of the operative path, the containers then being returned in their original upright position at the exit end of the apparatus.

The said sets of rollers I! and I8 are, in the particular form illustrated, rotably supported by parallel plate sections l9 and 20, respectively, the rollers being held against detachment by cot- .ter pins 2| or other analogous means, extending through shafts 22. Attached to said plate sections are oppositely disposed angle bars 23 and 24, the respective spaced parallel legs 25 and 26 thereof having holes 21 in registry.

Extending along the path of travel of the said operative portions [3 and I4 of the conveyor belts are the guide strips 29 and 30, each of these strips extending along said path and helically twisted through an angle of substantially 180 degrees from the beginning of the path to a predetermined intermediate portion thereof and back again to substantially their original position at the end of the path, parallel plate means yieldably supported by said guide strips, and two parallel sets of spaced rollers rotatably supported by said plate means, the said belt portions being in operative engagement with said rollers, whereby the rollers and the belts are corresponding turned to cause an operative inverting of containers held between said belt portions.

2. In a system of draining containers, conveyor belt means disposed along a predetermined operative path, said means comprising two spaced parallel coacting belt portions adapted to travel in the same direction and at the same speed and having container-engaging surfaces in facing relation, whereby containers may be held by the belts between said surfaces during the operative movement of the belt, two parallel guide strips extending along said path and helically twisted through an angle of substantially 180 degrees from the beginning of the path to a predetermined intermediate portion thereof and back again to substantially their original position at the end of the path, parallel plate means yieldably supported by said guide strips, the yieldable supports for said plate means comprising bolts fixedly secured to said strips and spring means on the bolts yieldably supporting the plate means, and two parallel sets of spaced rollers rotatably supported by said plate means, the said belt portions being in operative engagement with said rollers, whereby the rollers and the belts are correspondingly turned to cause an operative inverting of containers held between said belt portions.

3. In a system of draining containers, conveyor belt means disposed along a predetermined operative path, said means comprising two spaced parallel coacting belt portions adapted to travel in the same direction and at the same speed and having container-engaging surfaces in facing relation, whereby containers may be held by the belts between said surfaces during the operative movement of the belt, two parallel guide strips extending along said path and helically twisted through a predetermined angle of more than 90 degrees from the beginning of the path to a predetermined intermediate portion thereof and back again to substantially their original position at the end of the path, a plurality of spaced outwardly extending walls fixedly attached to each of said strips, a plurality of spaced plate sections disposed longitudinally along both of said strips, said plate sections having outwardly extending wall members fixedly attached thereto and positioned to correspond with the said walls, the correspondingly positioned walls and wall members having holes therein in registry with each other, a bolt extending through each set of said holes in registry and fixedly supported by the walls attached to the guide strip, stop means on the bolt in engagement with the wall members of the plate sections for limiting the inward movement of said sections, springs mounted on the shank of each bolt and in engagement with the said wall members for yieldably limiting the outward movement of the sections, and two sets of spaced rollers rotatably supported by said sections, the said belt portions being in operative engagement with said rollers, whereby the rollers and the belts are correspondingly turned to cause an operative inverting of containers held between said belt portions.

4. In a system of draining containers, conveyor belt means disposed along a predetermined operative path, said means comprising two spaced parallel coacting belt portions adapted to travel in the same direction and at the same speed and having container-engaging surfaces in facing relation, whereby containers may be held by the belts between said surfaces during the operative movement of the belt, two parallel guide strips extending along said path and helically twisted through an angle of substantially degrees from the beginning of the path to a predetermined intermediate portion thereof and back again to substantially their original position at the end of the path, supporting means for said strips comprising. a plurality of pairs of parallel guide bars disposed along the said operative path, the bars of each pair being spaced apart a distance corresponding to the spacing of said strips, the strips being fixedly secured to said bars, and two sets of spaced rollers rotatably supported upon said strips, the said belt portions being in operative engagement with said rollers, whereby the rollers and the belts are correspondingly twisted to cause an operative inverting of containers held between said belt portions.

' 5. In a system of draining containers, conveyor belt means disposed along a predetermined operative path, said means comprising two spaced parallel coactin belt portions adapted to travel in the same direction and at the same speed and having container-engaging surfaces in facing relation, whereby containers may be held by the belts between said surfaces during the operative movement of the belt, two parallel guide strips extending along said path and helically twisted through an angle of substantially 180 degrees from the beginning of the path to a predetermined intermediate portion thereof and back again to substantially their original position at the end of the path, supportin means for said strips comprising a plurality of pairs of flat parallel guide bars disposed along the said operative path, the planes of successive pairs of guide bars varying to correspond with the adjacent portions of guide strips along the operative path, the bars of each pair being spaced apart a distance corresponding to the spacing of said strips, the strips being fixedly secured to said bars, and two sets of spaced rollers rotatably supported upon said strips, the said belt portions being in operative engagement with said rollers, whereby the rollers and the belts are correspondingly twisted to cause an operative inverting of containers held between said belt portions.

6. In a system of drainin containers, conveyor belt means disposed along a predetermined operative path, said means comprising two spaced parallel coacting belt portions adapted to travel in the same direction and. at the same speed and having container-engaging surfaces in facing relation, whereby containers may be held by the belts between said surfaces during the operative movement of the belt, two parallel guide strips extending along said path and helically twisted through an angle of substantially 180 degrees from the beginning of the path to a predetermined intermediate portion thereof and back again to substantially their original position at,

the end of th path, a plurality of substantially parallel rings the planes of which are substantially transverse with respect to the direction of travel of the belts, said rings being disposed in spacedirelationn along ;thesaid oat-1o, :eaohoiirsaid r n containing a p r f parallelguide bars spaced :apart a distance corresponding to :the spacing of: said strips, :the strips, beingqflxedly gsecuredito saidbars; and twofsets of spaoederollers a 'rotatably supported upon said strips, the said :belt portions being in operative enga ement with saidr'ollers; whereby the rollers and ,thefbe js are cOrrespOnding1y twisted to cause a operat v invertingsof containers held between saidbelt portionsw '7.-In a system ofdrainingcontain'ers,conveyor ibelt means disposed alon a predetermined 1 perative path; said means. comprising j;tWO spaced parallel coacting :belt portions adapted to travel inthe same directionand at the same speed and havingcontainer-engaging surfaces ;in facing relation; whereby containers may .be held by the belts between said surfaces :during the operative movement of the belt, two parallel guidestrips extending along said path and helically twisted through an angle of substantially 180 degrees from the beginning of the path to a predetermined intermediate portion thereof andback again to substantially their original position at the-end oil-the path,aplurality of substantially parallel rings the planes of which are substantially transverse withrespect to the direction of travel of thebelts, said rings/being disposed in spaced relationalooe tiieisaidt ath;e o 'o said r as ro tai i .is a substantia ly} transom a A posed bars being attached to the ring ,per-i rangement of four bars, two pp l l ee y an bein in supporting engagement --vvith the Other two bars' whioh are ad pted toserve as gui bars who P anes REFERENCES ITED 1 The following references are of. s record in the file of patent:

UNITED STATES IBATENTS Number Name a Date 373,633 Thomas :Dec. ,10, L907 -1=,99'Z,'360 V Crozier Apr. 9, 1935 2,122,272 Altmayer oJune'28, 193V8 Flintjer c Sept. '29, 1942 

